Tag Archive for: San Diego County Water Authority

Lisa Marie Harris was selected to deliver the keynote address at the 2018 Municipal Bond Women’s Forum on October 18 in San Francisco. Photo: Water Authority

Harris Headlines Fall Conference for Women in Finance

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For Lisa Marie Harris, serving as the director of finance for the San Diego County Water Authority is far more than a job. It’s part of a calling that started in college.

As an undergrad, Harris secured a fellowship to study public policy at the University of Michigan, which confirmed her desire to pursue a career in government finance. Today, she is responsible for overseeing the Water Authority’s $2.3 billion debt portfolio, developing the agency’s bi-annual $1.5 billion operating budget, and setting the agency’s annual rates and charges.

“I consider it a noble profession,” said Harris, who led the Water Authority’s successful efforts to earn a AAA rating from Standard & Poor’s in 2016. “It’s been rewarding to know I assisted my community and protected the assets of my community.”

That approach to her job is part of the reason that Harris was selected to deliver the keynote address at the 2018 Municipal Bond Women’s Forum on October 18 in San Francisco. The organization comprises women leaders in the municipal bond industry, including public finance bankers, analysts, traders, brokers, issuers and portfolio managers. Harris is the only speaker on the agenda from the public sector.

Diverse Leadership Experience Benefits Water Authority

After earning her master’s degree in public policy at Michigan, Harris served in several leadership positions, starting as a senior economist at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Then, she served as chief finance officer for the Emergency Communications Department at the City of San Francisco; assistant deputy director of the San Francisco International Airport; and executive director of the California Debt and Investment Advisory Commission for the California State Treasurer’s Office.

Harris arrived in San Diego as chief deputy treasurer for San Diego County Treasurer/Tax Collector Dan McAllister to manage the county’s $5 billion investment portfolio. It was the perfect venue to showcase what Harris sees as her strengths: her readiness to accept challenging assignments, her ability to make adjustments, and her willingness to ask for help.

After seven years, Harris left for a stint in investment banking. But she continued to feel the need to serve the larger community – and when the Water Authority offered her a position as director of finance and treasurer in 2014, she eagerly accepted.

Today, she touts the same philosophy that she has for most of her career: “Strive for excellence. Don’t be mediocre. Go for the best and try to be the best.”

Civic Engagement Vital to Career Advancement

Harris attributes her success in part to civic engagement and professional contributions outside the workplace. She strongly recommends that women in financial careers pursue opportunities to develop their skills and contribute value outside of the workplace as a career-building strategy.

In addition to her participation in the Municipal Bond Women’s Forum, Harris also is a longtime member of the Government Finance Officers Association, having served on various committees, the executive board, and the nominating committee that selects the organization’s president. In addition, Harris recently completed a three-year term on the national board of Women in Public Finance, and she helped charter the San Diego chapter of this nationwide organization.

Harris explains the benefit of seeking leadership opportunities in volunteer roles: “You get to demonstrate to the world what you bring outside of work,” she said. “You can’t always receive accolades and demonstrate your skill sets at your job.”

She also advises colleagues across the financial services industry to seek help achieving a work-life balance – a topic she plans to address during her keynote address in October.

“If you want to have children, you have to set up the infrastructure in your family,” said Harris, who has been married 28 years and has two children in college. “I think I got it done,” she said, “but I couldn’t have done it without my husband.”

 

 

Water Authority, NASSCO & EDC Celebrate Manufacturing Day

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General Dynamics NASSCO – one of the San Diego region’s largest employers – hosted Water Authority Board Chair Jim Madaffer and Jesse Gipe,  senior economic development manager for the San Diego Regional Economic Development Corp.,  for national Manufacturing Day on Oct. 5 as part of a partnership to promote the importance of a safe and reliable water supply to sustain the local economy.  The partnership was forged during the Water Authority’s Brought to You by Water outreach and education program, which includes stakeholders from key industry sectors such as tourism, manufacturing, brewing and agriculture.

See video of Madaffer’s onsite tour here.

 

Water Authority Board Chair Jim Madaffer provided the keynote address at the 2018 North County Water Symposium. Photo: Water Authority

North County Water Symposium Highlights Efforts to Ensure Reliability

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Escondido — The 2018 North County Water Symposium on Wednesday highlighted efforts by the San Diego County Water Authority to ensure regional water reliability for a crowd of about 100 North County business and industry leaders.

Keynote speaker Jim Madaffer, the Water Authority’s newly elected board Chair, reviewed the Water Authority’s historic achievements in water supply diversification. He also discussed continued regional development of water recycling capacity and investments in technology to maintain billions of dollars worth of water infrastructure.

“As the Water Authority approaches our 75th year,” said Madaffer, “we are doing everything we can …  to make sure that we have a resilient water supply for the region.”

The symposium was organized by the San Diego North Economic Development Council. It featured a panel discussion on water supply and reliability for San Diego North County, with a focus on agriculture and housing. Panelists were Greg Thomas, general manager of Rincon del Diablo Municipal Water District; Cari Dale, water utilities director for the City of Oceanside; Eric Larson, executive director of the San Diego County Farm Bureau; and Michael McSweeney, senior public policy advisor for the San Diego Building Industry Association.

Larson highlighted efforts by farmers to increase water-use efficiency and advance recycled water use to support their multi-billion dollar industry. McSweeney said the building industry improves water efficiency when it replaces decades-old homes with new homes that use less water and less energy thanks to modern technologies.

Larson and Thomas say their respective industries share a similar challenge. Larson said fewer young adults today choose farming careers. Thomas expressed the same concerns about the water industry. “There is so much emphasis among high school students on going to college, we aren’t training enough water technology employees” to replace a “silver tsunami” of retiring Baby Boomers, he said.

Madaffer and the panelists agreed that continued dialogue and coordinated efforts among the North County region’s leaders across all economic sectors can drive economic growth while ensuring water efficiency and reliability.

NOAA's three month weather outlook predicting the amount of rainfall across the U.S. Map: NOAA.gov

Water Supplies Sufficient for 2019 Demands Despite Hot, Dry Weather

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At the start of the 2019 water year, the combination of diversified water supplies and water-use efficiency means the San Diego region has enough water for 2019 and the foreseeable future despite historically low rainfall over the past 12 months.

“It has been very hot and dry, but we have invested wisely in infrastructure and regional water-use remains well below where it was at the start of the last drought,” said Jeff Stephenson, a principal water resources specialist with the Water Authority. “In fact, potable water use over the past three-plus years was 17 percent below 2013, which shows that San Diego continues to live WaterSmart.”

Still, said Stephenson, “we are looking for a wet winter locally, and in the Sierra and Rocky Mountains, to help replenish reserves for future years.”

Water managers use “water years” that run from October 1 through September 30 to track rain and snow. Local rainfall during water year 2018 totaled just over 3 inches at Lindbergh Field – 67 percent below normal and the second-lowest in San Diego history dating back to 1850.

In addition, local temperatures have been significantly above normal for most of the past five years. In many of those months, the average daily maximum temperatures were more than 4 degrees above long-term averages.

Forecasts predict continued warm weather conditions through December

The National Weather Service’s Climate Prediction Center forecasts continued warm conditions for California through December, with a 33 percent probability of above-normal precipitation locally. The U.S. Drought Monitor’s classification of San Diego County as an area of “Severe Drought” is based on weather factors – but it does not reflect water supply conditions.

More than $3.5 billion in regional water investments by San Diego County ratepayers over the past three decades mean water supplies will meet demands regardless of the weather.

New supplies and infrastructure upgrades include the Claude “Bud” Lewis Carlsbad Desalination Plant, which delivers approximately 50 million gallons of potable water per day for regional use, along with a ramp-up of water delivered to San Diego County as part of a long-term water conservation and transfer deal signed in 2003.

Other regional assets include the storage of 100,000 acre-feet of water behind the raised San Vicente Dam due to conservation efforts during the last drought. In addition, many key reservoirs statewide, including Diamond Valley Lake in Riverside County, remain near average levels for this time of year. Significantly, no shortages are expected on the Colorado River system in 2019, though long-term drought conditions continue to be a concern across the Southwestern U.S.

The Water Authority offers several programs, including a Landscape Transformation program rebate, to promote water-use efficiency. Residents and business can also attend free sustainable landscaping classes, and access online videos and tips. To learn more about those resources and others, go to WaterSmartSD.org.

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Water Authority Wins 2018 WaterSense Excellence Award

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The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency today recognized the San Diego County Water Authority with a 2018 WaterSense Excellence Award for advancing water efficiency through its Qualified Water Efficient Landscaper (QWEL) program. The Water Authority received one of 21 WaterSense awards presented at the WaterSmart Innovations Conference in Las Vegas.

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The San Diego County Water Authority presented its inaugural Water Innovation & Efficiency Award to Kyocera. Photo: Water Authority

Kyocera First Recipient of New Water Authority Award

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In an effort to remind regional stakeholders in the business community about the importance of water to San Diego’s regional economy, the San Diego County Water Authority presented its inaugural ‘Water Innovation & Efficiency Award’ to Kyocera International during the Industrial Environmental Association’s 34th annual conference at the San Diego Convention Center on September 28.

Kyocera was honored for its strong commitment to reusing water multiple in its production processes, thereby decreasing its water use by nearly 20 percent since 2014. This conserves more than 6 million gallons per year.

“Water is our most precious natural resource, and it’s so rewarding to see major employers like Kyocera redouble their efforts to use – and re-use – water efficiently,” said Jim Madaffer, whose term as chair of the Water Authority’s Board of Directors starts Oct. 1. “Corporate leadership like this, coupled with investments in water supply reliability, will help sustain our thriving economy and unparalleled quality of life.”

Madaffer presented the award to Kyocera in front of about 250 people at the conference. “There are a lot of folks in the industrial community here in San Diego,” he said. “By Kyocera’s example, we’re hoping that other companies follow their lead, being able to do what they can to save water for all of our region as well.”

Kyocera’s Meridith Marquis, Roger Blankenship and Mark Brodie accepted the award on behalf of the company.“Kyocera’s corporate motto is ‘Respect the Divine and Love People,’ which compels us to manufacture in resource-saving, eco-friendly ways,” said Marquis, divisional vice president for general affairs. “It takes a lot of water to manufacture the technology that surrounds us, and we must act in good conscience to recycle as much of that water as possible. The fact that we can save money while doing this makes it a win-win all around.”

View the award presentation video here.

Kyocera’s innovative efforts pay off

Headquartered in San Diego, Kyocera’s North American operations were established in 1971. Today, the company employs about 625 people locally and manufactures high-tech products such as ceramic semiconductor packages and microelectronic devices at its San Diego plant.

Kyocera has been investing in water-use efficiency at its local plant since 2000, with a marked increase in savings since 2014. Recent water savings result from:

  • Converting to a closed-loop cooling system that uses water multiple times instead of once
  • Re-using water from plating operations to cool its onsite co-generation plant
  • Installing water meters for production groups and making them accountable for water use
  • Adding flow regulators to fine-tune the amount of water delivered for manufacturing processes
  • Replenishing plating tanks only when necessary instead of continuously

Kyocera achieved significant water savings by installing a basic, off-the-shelf $30 valve allowing the company to repurpose reverse osmosis water that didn’t meet purity standards, and instead use it as cooling water. This single creative adjustment alone saved about 373,000 gallons per month. In all, Kyocera is saving about $62,500 a year in water costs compared to 2014, while upholding its corporate mission to embrace sustainability.

The Water Innovation & Efficiency Award is part of the Water Authority’s Brought to You by Water outreach and education program, designed to enhance the regional appreciation for the value of the safe and reliable water supplies. That effort includes enhanced partnerships to highlight the importance of water reliability to the region’s economy for tourism, agriculture, brewing, manufacturing and other key sectors.

This fall, the Water Authority is focusing on manufacturing companies with “products that put San Diego on the map.” For more information, go to the Brought To You By Water website.

 

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Extraordinary State Demands Thwart Research on Seawater Desalination Technologies

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San Diego, Calif. – The San Diego County Water Authority is closing down work on a potential seawater desalination plant at U.S. Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton due to extraordinary permitting hurdles and related costs created by the State Lands Commission staff, along with the decreased potential that the plant will be needed in coming decades.

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Water Authority Presents Kyocera With 2018 Water Innovation & Efficiency Award

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San Diego, Calif. – The San Diego County Water Authority this morning presented its 2018 Water Innovation & Efficiency Award to Kyocera for reducing its annual water use by more than 6 million gallons at its San Diego facility, a decrease of nearly 20 percent since 2014.

The award marks the Water Authority’s inaugural effort to recognize water-efficiency investments among the region’s top manufacturing companies in conjunction with the Industrial Environmental Association. The 2018 Water Innovation & Efficiency Award was announced at the IEA’s 34th Annual Environmental Conference at the San Diego Convention Center.

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Jim Madaffer Elected as Board Chair of Water Authority

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San Diego, Calif. – New officers for the San Diego County Water Authority’s Board of Directors were unanimously elected today, with Jim Madaffer starting his two-year term as Board chair on Oct. 1.

Madaffer, vice chair of the Board for the past two years as a representative from the City of San Diego, will serve with incoming Vice Chair Gary Croucher, a Board representative from the Otay Water District, and incoming Secretary Christy Guerin from the Olivenhain Municipal Water District.

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The Water Authority is increasing its commitment to innovation by hosting technology-focused forums and looking for new tools to help operate and maintain the region's water infrastructure. Photo: Water Authority

Agency Embraces Innovation at Technology Showcase

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San Diego, Calif. – Welcome to the future.

That’s the message from the San Diego County Water Authority, which is developing and deploying cutting-edge techniques to maintain its 310 miles of giant pipes that provide water for 3.3 million residents across the region.

“This is all about assessing the condition of our pipelines through the most advanced technology at our disposal and performing repairs before age-related defects become an unforeseen issue,” said Martin Coghill, a senior water resources specialist for the Water Authority.

Coghill spoke before dozens of water industry officials and residents on hand for a Condition Assessment Technology Showcase during the Water Authority Board of Directors’ Engineering and Operations Committee in late August. The showcase included a review of the latest technologies to protect the region’s vital water infrastructure.

The show-and-tell included a 360-degree imaging system Coghill and his team recently developed to capture up-close views of the interior of pipelines too steep for crews to enter safely. Three-dimensional, virtual reality goggles were available for visitors to experience views recorded by the new imaging system.

A week earlier, the Water Authority hosted a technological show-and-tell for businesses and others interested in advancing the tools necessary to maintain and operate major water delivery systems. The outreach efforts were part of the agency’s expanding initiative to identify new technologies – or new uses for existing technology – to benefit the region’s water ratepayers.

Besides developing its own advanced tools, the Water Authority recently launched an online forum to solicit additional innovative concepts from entrepreneurs and members of the public.

Innovation technology takes center stage

One of the key areas in which the Water Authority has embraced innovation is maintenance of its large-scale pipeline system. Inspections with advanced technologies typically are conducted after the mid-point of a pipe’s projected lifespan, meaning some 60 miles of reinforced concrete pipe will need to be inspected over the next nine years. Visual inspections occur every 10 to 15 years.

Some of the advanced technology used in the asset management program was pioneered by the oil and gas industry, with the Water Authority and other agencies adapting and improving it for use in the water world.

“The Water Authority really is in a leadership role in trying new technologies for cost savings and efficiency, and some of these have been brought to us by private sector,” Water Authority General Manager Maureen Stapleton said during the August showcase. “However, a lot of what has been on show has been developed by our own staff…. I can’t tell you how talented our staff is in this area.”

Added Stapleton: “A lot of this can be scaled down to retail agency size, so it can be transferred to member agencies and so those agencies can make repairs without pulling pipes out and disrupting communities.”